Combined body and chassis underframe



June 4, 1940. J. LEDWINKA COMBINED BODY AND CHASSIS UNDERFRAME Filed Dec. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Joseph Leclwz'nfia .4 TTORNE Y.

June 4, 1940. J. LEDWINKA 2,202,859

COMBINED BODY AND CHASSIS UNDERFRAME Filed Dec. 6, 1957 2 SheetsSheet. 2

7 I NVENTOR; l Joaeph Zedwz'nfia ----u w WM ATTORNEY.

Patented June 4, 1940 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED BODY AND CHASSIS UNDERFRAME Joseph Ledwinka, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward .G. Budd Manufacturing Company,

Philadelphia, Pa., a vania corporation of Pennsyl- Application December 6, 1931, Serial N... 178,315

8 Claims.

The invention relates to a combined chassis and body underframe structure for vehicles and particularly for automobiles.

It is an object of the invention to create such a combined underframe structure which is strong and durable, simple in construction, easy to manufacture, and light in weight. One important object of the invention is also to create a combined chassis and body underframe structure which is especially adapted for different types of body superstructures.

These and other objects are attained in large by the use of upwardly opening channel shaped longitudinal side sills, following approximately the lower longitudinal margins ofthe body superstructure and by the use of a sheet metal flooring overlying and closing the mouth of said channels thereby forming box sectional sills.

The body superstructure is then fastened to the lateral margins of said flooring. It is obvious that the same channel shaped sills may be used for different types of body superstructures. This means considerable advantages as thelarge dies I for the channel shaped sills are very expensive and as the manufacturer needs only to keep a stock of one underframe structure for the different types of superstructures. Ithas been a disadvantage of many hitherto known combined underframe structures that they were only adapted for one special type and construction of superstructure and that rather slight changes in dimensions or design made necessary such alterations of the underframe structure that new dies had to be procured.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in which they are attained will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a closed four-door motor car body;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the combined chassis I and body underframe and a section of the body superstructure taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and v Figs. 3 to 7 are cross sectional views taken along the correspondingly numbered section lines of Fig. 1. Y

The car shown in the drawings comprises longitudinal side sills generally designated by the numeral l0. These sills extend from the front end to the rear end of the car. The middle section of these sills is outwardly curved in plan view so as to follow the lower margin of the body superstructure generally designated by the" section in the region of the door openings l2 is .5

situated relatively low. Each of the sills l0 consists mainly of an upwardly opening channel having a bottom wall I3, an outer side wall II with an outwardly directed upper flange l5 and an inner side wall IS with an inwardly directed flange II. The forward sections of the sills l0 are connected by transverse members l8, l9 and 20. The mouth of the forward ends of the sills I0 is closed by cover strips 2| fastened as by welding to' the lateral flange |5 and I1. outer margin of each strip 2| is provided with a downwardly depending flange 22. These strips 2| extend from the forward end of the sills III to about the region of the cowl 23 and the front post 24 of the body superstructure.

Rearwardly of the ends .of strips 2| the mouth of the sills I0 is closed by the lateral marginal this flooring are fastened as by welding to the lateral flanges l5 and ll of the sills Ill and are 26 provided with a downwardly depending'flange '26 forming a continuation of flange 22 of the strips 2|. Said flooring extends from the cowl regionto the rearward end of the car where cross member 21. The flooring 25 may consist of one integral stamping or may be subdivided in longitudinal and/or transverse direction and may overlap to a certain extent the rear ends of strips 2|. In the longitudinal middle plane of the car the flooring is provided with a tunnel 28 for the propeller shaft. In the region of the rear door posts 29 the flooring forms the rear seat support 30 and behind this support a mold 3| is provided for the reception of the lower part of a spare wheel (not shown).

In the region of the driver's seat an opening 32 is provided in the flooring'25 on each side of the tunnel 28. Below these openings 32 a transverse plate 33 extends from the one side of the car to 5 beyond the plane of the flooring 25 and the lower I margins of the walls are fastened by laterally bent-off flanges 36 to the upper face of plate 33.

The 15 parts of a flooring 25. The marginal parts of.

the side sills are additionally interbraced by a 30 The side walls 5 Transverse walls 31 are inserted between the inf as by welding to an inner her walls l6 of the sills III, the vertical walls 35 of the tunnel 28, the transverse margins of the openings 32 in the flooring 25 and the transverse outer margins of the plate 33 and are fastened to these members. Hereby a casing is formed on each side of the tunnel 28. Above the flooring 25 the transverse walls 31 are continued by transverse walls 38 extending, however, across the tunned 28 and across the upper side of the sills Ill. The upper margins of the transverse walls 38 are connected by a substantially horizontal wall 39. The wall 39 and the wall 38 may be formed from one integral stamping. The lower margins of the walls welding to the flooring 25, the flanges I5 and I! of the sills l0 and to the upper part of the tunnel 28. The upper wall 39 is provided with one opening 40 on each side of the tunnel 28 giving access to the interior of the boxes formed by the side sills, the tunnel and the transverse walls 33, 31, 38 and 39. These boxes may be used for housing the storage batter tools or the like. The walls 38, and 39 form the front seat support.

The body superstructure may comprise unitary side wall stampings each enclosing door openings l2, a side Window opening 4|, one side wall of the cowl 23 and the rear wheel housing 42. This outer panel designated in general by the numeral 43 is provided along its forward margin, its lower margin and along the margins of the floor openings with inwardly directed flanges 44, 45 and 46 respectively and the margins of these flanges. in their turn are provided with bent-off flanges 47, 48 and 49 respecticely. The last named flanges are seated sheet metal paneling 50 so that in the threshold and cowl regions box sectional structures are formed. The inner paneling extends forwardly beyond the cowl 23 forming thereby the vertical wall 5| of the front wheel housing.

The rear wheel housing 42, the inner reinforcing panel 50 and the front wheel housing 5| of the body superstructure are provided with an outwardly directed ofiset 52 being spaced from and extending parallel to the lowermost edge of said parts. by the ofiset 52 and adjacent marginal parts 53 is seated on the angle formed by the flooring 25 and its marginal flange 26 or by the covering strip 2| and its flange 22 respectively. The marginal parts 53 are fastened as by welding to said depending flanges 26 and 22 respectively.

So as to further strengthen the connection between the body superstructure and the flooring 25 and the longitudinal sills ID, the lateral margin of the walls 38 and 39 of the front seat support are fastened by means of flanges 54 to the inner side wall member 50 and the flanges 48 and 49 of the outer side wall member 43. The walls 33, 35, 38 and 39 arranged below the front seat form thereby a box sectional cross member of great cross sectional area and correspondingly great strength. This box sectional transverse structure strengthens very efficiently the entire combined body and chassis structure against bending and torsional stresses.

The connection between the underframe structure and the body superstructure may be further strengthened by brackets 55. One arm 56 of such bracket extends across the mouth of the sills l0 and is fastened to its flanges I5 and I1 and to the upper surface of the flooring 25. The other arm 57 of said bracket is fastened to the inner panel 50 of the body superstructure which may 38 are fastened as by.

against and fastened 4 The angle formed on said members in this region be additionally reinforced by a member 58. Although such brackets are shown in the drawings only in the region of the intermediate door posts, such brackets may of course also be applied in other regions especially in the region of the cowl, of the front posts, and of the rear posts. 4

, The main portion of the flooring 25 is arranged in the plane of the upper flanges l5 and I! of the side sills I 8 but this flooring may also be offset downwardly with respect to said flanges. Such downward offset 53 of the central part 58 of the flooring 25 is shown in Fig. 7. All members of the each consist of one integral piece or may be composed of several pieces. Also other members, i. e., the innerpanel 58 and the front wheel housing wall 5| may either be formed as integral stampings or may be composed of several stampmodifications shall be protected by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined structure for an being closed by said sheet metal flooring, flooring being provided along lateral structure, the mouths of said sills being closed by said sheet metal flooring, said flooring being provided along each of its outer lateral margins immediately adjacent the outer edge of the restructure by being outwardly bulged in plan view in the region between the front and rear wheels and being fastened to said sheet metal flooring. a body superstructure comprising box sectional threshold portions, said threshold portions bein arranged throughout their lengths substantially above the level of said flooring and of said side sills of the underframe structure and fastened to the lateral margins of said flooring.

5; In a combined chassis and body underframe structure, a sheet metal flooring, upwardly opening channel shaped longitudinal side sills following the lower marginal contours of the body by being outwardly bulged in plan view in the region between the front and rear wheels, the mouths of said sills being closed by said sheet metal flooring, a body superstructure comprising a vertical post, a bracing member extending across the opening of the adjacent channel shaped sill and being fastened to both side walls thereof and to said post.

6. In a combined body underframeand chassis structure, a sheet metal flooring, longitudinal side sill members fastened to said flooring, a transverse member connecting said side sill members,

, said sill members and said transverse member extending below said flooring, said transverse member being in the form of an upwardly opening trough, this trough comprising a bottom wall and upstanding side walls,'the ends of this'trough being fastened to said sill members and its side walls being 1 astened to said flooring, an opening in said flooring above the transverse member, and members forming upward continuations of said side walls of said transverse trough and forming with said transverse member a-box sectional transverse girder of great cross sectional area and corresponding strength which girder extends partly below and partly above said flooring.

'7. In a combined body underframe and chassis structure, a sheet metal flooring and a transverse member, said transverse member having a bottom wall being arranged beneath and spaced from said flooring and an upstanding wall extending between said bottom wall and said flooring, a longitudinally extending downwardly b opening tunnel associated with said flooring for the reception of a propeller shaft, said upstanding wall of said transverse member comprising portions the ends of whih are spaced from the vertical center line of the tunneLthe tunnel having substantially vertical side walls, these side walls being extended downwardly in the region of said transverse member below the level of the flooring,

the extended parts of the tunnel walls being fastened to the upstanding walls and the bottom wall of said transverse member. a

8. In a combined chassis and body underframe structure, a sheet metal flooring, upwardly opening channel shaped longitudinal side sills following the lower marginalcontours of the body, the mouths of said sills being closed by said sheet metal flooring, a body superstructure, a transverse bracing member' extending abovesaid flooring, said bracing member being fastened to said flooring and extending across and being fastened to the upper margins of the vertical walls of said sills, and the lateral and portions of said cross member being fastened to the side walls of said body superstructure.

aosarn 

